Posted June 30, 201015 yr comment_5452586 DVD #19 The episode started with a documentary of Wajima training in the U.S. under Baba's watchful eye. It included surreal footage of him hitting the blocking sled with the St. Louis Cardinals and hanging with Neil Lomax. Then, he debuted in St. Louis, and two U.S. jobbers had to put over his shitty, sub-trainee offense. Rarely has so much promotional effort been exhausted on such little talent. September6：Toba citizen gymnasium (aired 9/13/86) Tiger Mask/JUMBO TSURUTA vs. SUPER STRONG MACHINE/KILLER KHAN - They just went back and forth without any real focus until Khan got disqualified for refusing to break up a double team on Jumbo. Yoshiaki Yatsu/Riki Choshu vs. SUPER MEDICO/STAN HANSEN - Weird partner for Hansen huh? But actually, Medico was a brawler who fit in fine with Stan. Choshu came out with his ribs taped again, and I really liked the way he shielded them from Hansen early on. Finally, however, Stan connected to the midsection. That set up a nice, focused section of rib pounding. The match ultimately turned on a miscommunication spot as Medico missed a headbutt off the top on Yatsu and hit Hansen instead. That gave Choshu the opening he needed to stun Hansen with lariat and finish Medico with another. I dug the rib stuff and the finish, but I wanted a little more development before they took it home. Just short of a nomination for me. September20：Sagamihara city comprehensive gymnasium (aired 9/20/86) Masa Fuchi/Tiger Mask vs. HIRO SAITO/Shunji Takano - JIP and indistinguishable from any number of other episode openers that featured some bursts of decent action but no hint of thought or development. Genichiro Tenryu/JUMBO TSURUTA vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu/ANIMAL HAMAGUCHI - The last five minutes were pretty good. Jumbo and Tenryu reeled off a bunch of their signature offense on Hamaguchi, but Tenryu missed his elbow from the top. That set up Yatsu and Hamguchi for their own run of signature stuff. Jumbo jumped in to save his partner and in the chaos, Tenryu managed to roll up Hamaguchi to escape with the win. That said, the match didn't transcend the vast pool of decent stuff from the decade. Riki Choshu vs. Super Strong Machine - I didn't care to see them fight over armbars for the first few minutes. But out of nowhere, Riki ripped half of SSM's mask off and the fight was on. SSM fired back with punches and kicks and scored a nearfall off his suplex finisher. Choshu came up selling his rib injury again but fought back to earn his own nearfall off a lariat. When that didn't work, he just punched SSM in the face a bunch. I didn't mind that they brawled to a double countout. This absolutely had the feel of a fight between guys who hated each other. It wasn't anywhere near the level of the Choshu-Khan match, but still, such antipathy merits a nomination.
